Two The reason why Petroleum Is Used in Hair Merchandise

Two The reason why Petroleum Is Used in Hair Merchandise

I thought right this moment we could speak about petroleum/mineral oil and why it has such abad popularity within the pure hair group. There are numerous attention-grabbing misconceptions on the market about petroleum/mineral oil. First, let take a look on the definition of mineral oil.

WHAT It’s MINERAL OIL AND The place DOES IT COME FROM?

Mineral oil is a colorless and odorless oil that made from petroleum. Is is a by-product of the distillation of petroleum when gasoline is produced. It has also lengthy been used as a common ingredient in lotions, creams, ointments, and cosmetics. It is a lightweight, inexpensive and helps reduce water loss from the pores and skin by blocking the pores on our skin and scalp.

So there you will have it. Mineral oil is a by-product of gasoline distillation and it’s extensively used in a wide range of beauty merchandise. I share two theories on whymineral oil has a bad fame.

1. Advertising

As an entire, our society is much more health acutely aware than we was. Generally our obsession with finding the healthiest merchandise leaves us somewhat susceptible to intelligent marketers. Do you suppose twice about buying products with sulfates and silicones? That is no accident. If marketerscan paint a certain ingredient as the bad man, they’ll simply get you to surrender your trusted Miss Jessie Buttercream for a new product made without that ingredient.

If entrepreneurs can paint a sure ingredient as the dangerous man, they can easily get you to give up your trusted Miss Jessie Buttercream for a new product made with out that ingredient.

The most harmful of claims made about mineral oil is that it comprises carcinogens. It’s true that some petroleum by-products contain carcinogens, but the mineral oil that used in the beauty business is refined, purified & regulated by the FDA. This and a number of different unfavorable claims about mineral oil really don’t have any factual foundation.

2. Widespread Pure HAIR PRACTICES

Mineral oil is an occlusive agent it creates a barrier that seals off your hair and skin from air and water.

Now, let travel back in time pre-pure hair explosion. At this time a vast majority of merchandise for black women hair contained mineral oil. For example, products such as Blue magic and Pink moisturizer. This was a interval where many black ladies have been primarily heat styling or stress-free their hair. Again then it made sense to make use of mineral oil heavy products since water was the enemy to our hairstyles.

In the present day, the occlusive nature of mineral oil could be problematic for women who prefer to re-moisturize their hair typically between washes, since mineral oil locks water out. Also, the barrier mineral oil creates is not really easy to take away. It requires washing the hair with a shampoo containing sulfates. Again, potentially problematic for naturals who primarily use gentle cleaners similar to sulfate free shampoo or co-wash cleansers.

My last thoughts on the topic are as follows. In case your favorite natural hair products include mineral oil, and you’re happy with the results they produce then there is no such thing as a reason to cease utilizing them. I’d simply keep in thoughts the occlusive nature of mineral oil and construction your hair regimen accordingly.